Poetry Out Loud 2012!

Every senior at SDHS is expected to find and learn a poem and to present it during our classroom competition.  (The date of this competition will be announced soon).

Poems are at http://poetryoutloud.org/poems-and-performance/find-poems

Poetry Out Loud learning goals include:

• in-depth understanding of a poem
• exposure to a variety of poems through the classroom competition
• develop skills in memorization
• develop ability and confidence in public speaking
• increased appreciation of poetry

Poems that are high on the short, easy, & accessible scale include:
"Another Feeling," "Battlefield," "Boy and Egg," "Carmel Point," "Catch a Little Rhythm," "The Cities Inside Us," "Domestic Situation," "Dream Song 14," "Eagle Plain," "Golden Retrievals," "Keeping Things Whole," "Layabout," "The Last Laugh," "The Lamb," "Question," "Sadie & Maud," "Thoughts in a Zoo," "War Widow," "Youth."

Reading for Variety

Standard 2 in English reads: "Students will read a wide variety of literature from many periods and genres to build an understanding of the dimensions of human experience."

It's a worthwhile standard and one that we hope you continue to build on through your lifetime.

Your Quarter 2 online reading journal, which is due by Jan. 18 (no penalty for getting it done early!), should include a personal reading list of books you have read during high school. It's ok to include a few favorite titles from your earlier years as well. Details, as well as a sample list, are below:


The goal is to list 12 or more titles that you have read in entirety during high school. These can be assigned texts or independent reading. If you have read dozens and dozens of books, it is ok to list only the top most memorable titles in your post. If you have read fewer than 12 books, it is ok to list books that you have read at least in part.

Listing author names is also a nice touch.

Sample List:
The Adventures of Ulysses
Monster
The Outsiders by SE Hinton
To Kill a Mockingbird
Romeo and Juliet by Wiliam Shakespeare
Night
Speak
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
After the First Death by Robert Cormier
Where the Heart Is
The Crucible
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
The Scarlet Letter
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Where Men Win Glory by John Krakauer --IR
Into the Wild by John Krakauer --IR
Great Heart: The History of a Labrador Adventure --IR
Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race
the World Has Never Seen --IR

*IR= Independent Reading

Beowulf Resources

Fate vs. Free Will Resources

Beowulf -- Easy to read version

Beowulf -- Hypertext version

Beowulf -- Greene Hamlet Resources 

Beowulf Translations.net

Tim Romano Translation

Beowulf -- Translations.net zip file
(This valuable site with dozens of translations of Beowulf from different time periods is now available in the form of a Google-hosted zip file that can be downloaded, expanded, opened, and then used as a website that will be private to your own computer.  To download, click the link above and then click the download link on the top right corner of the page.)

2 More from Macklemore

Wings

My, Oh, My

College Essay & Resume Humor

An extensive list of resume bloopers and blunders is at jobmob.co

A list of bloopers from actual college admissions essays is at ems.psu.edu/

Resume Resources

A list of ACTION VERBS for your resume is at:
www.bc.edu/offices/careers/skills/resumes/verbs.html 
A sample FUNCTIONAL RESUME is in Google Doc format
here.
A useful online Resume Builder is at
http://www.resumizer.com/
Another good option for resume templates is via Google Docs.
(If you don't have a Gmail account, see me for the login info for the class Gmail account.)

Resume Headings: Activities Activities & Interests Additional Experience Additional Skills Additional Training Affiliations Associations Awards/Recognitions Career Goal Career Objective Certifications Coaching Experience Achievements Community Involvement Community Service Computer Skills Conferences Attended Education Employment Employment History Employment Objective Experience Goals Highlights of Qualifications Hobbies & Interests Honours & Awards Language Skills

Memberships Extracurricular Activities Objective Personal Achievements Presentations Publications Qualifications Related Activities Related Experience Relevant Experience Relevant Skills Scholarships & Awards Skills Special Skills Summary of Qualifications Teaching Experience Technical Skills Training Volunteer Activities Volunteer Experience Volunteer Work Work Experience

Ten Thousand Hours

Ten thousand hours -- fifty hours a week for four years -- is, according to Malcolm Gladwell's book, Outliers, the key to success in any field.  In other words, you should expect to put in at least 10,000 hours in order to get really good at something.

What is your passion?  What do you care about enough that you are willing to invest ten thousand hours into it?

For some inspiration, listen to the Macklemore song, "Ten Thousand Hours."  The lyrics to the song are here.

College Admissions Essay Resources & Samples

The College Board has useful section on Essay Skills for the college admissions essay. Included are a section on how to choose a topic and tips on writing the essay itself.

Samples of successful essays can be found at quintcareers.com/ and at
college-admission-essay.com

The Common Application essay prompts are at https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/Docs/DownloadForms/2012/2012AppFY_download.pdf

A list, "Top Ten Common College Admissions Mistakes," is at
www.college-admission-essay.com/collegeadmissionessaymistakes.html

An extensive list of college admissions essay topics is at:
www.hpregional.org/departments/english/mhassenplug/100%20topics.html

True fact: You can pay as much as $1000.00 to have a professional essay editing service such as EssayEdge help you with your essay. (Or you can just ask me and get help for free).

The College Board suggests you compete the following as part of your brainstorming process:

• Discover Your Strengths: Do a little research about yourself: ask parents, friends, and teachers what your strengths are.
• Create a Self-Outline: Now, next to each trait, list five or six pieces of evidence from your life—things you've been or done—that prove your point.
• Find Patterns and Connections: Look for patterns in the material you've brainstormed. Group similar ideas and events together. For example, does your passion for numbers show up in your performance in the state math competition and your summer job at the computer store? Was basketball about sports or about friendships? When else have you stuck with the hard work to be with people who matter to you?

Sample College Admissions Essay #1

The sample essay is at:
http://www.conncoll.edu/admission/james-walsh.htm

Resources for Research

Locate & bookmark articles on your topic -- especially those that might have loaded words relating to your topic:

Google News Search:
https://news.google.com/

ProQuest News Search:
via Marvel -- scroll 2/3 down the list of links and click "ProQuest Newspapers"

Google Blog Search:
http://www.google.com/blogsearch

ProCon.org
http://www.procon.org/

Issues & Controversies
http://www.2facts.com/icof_home_feature.aspx

Artistic Freedom vs. Respect for Traditional Values: The Battle Goes On

For a very current example of the on-going conflict between freedom of expression and respect, read or listen to the article, "Tunisians Battle Over the Meaning of Free Expression" on the NPR website.

Resources for Freedom of Speech Issues

 ProCon.org

Issues & Controversies

Google News

ProQuest Newspapers via Marvel Teen Resources

--Search the above sources for articles on your topic and then skim the articles to find examples of loaded words used by those on both sides of the issue.

Euphemisms, Loaded Words, & Double-Speak

A euphemism is a word or phrase used in place of another word or phrase.  Often euphemisms are used in order to mislead, to confuse, or to neutralize the reaction of an audience.  An example of an euphemism is to call a used car a "pre-owned vehicle." 

Loaded words are words used to engage the emotions of the reader or listener.  These are words that have strong connotations.  Some loaded words (especially the ones with positive connotations) are also euphemisms.  When Maine legislators who oppose the "estate tax" started calling it the "death tax," they were using loaded words.

Double-Speak is another term for ambiguous language that is intended to deceive of confuse.  Double-speak involves the use of words or phrases such as "War is peace" or "genuine imitation leather."   Double-speak is the use of words in an attempt to make something untrue, true.

Campaign Bumper Stickers

Your challenge is to create a campaign bumper sticker that communicates who you are, what you believe, and why people should vote for you -- all within the space of less than 0.5 square foot and using fewer than a dozen words.

Resources to Review as a Class:
Sample Stickers with Brief Critiques (slideshow)
Typography Basics 
The Basics of Fonts & Typography  (Site temporarily down)

Additional Resources:
Color as Symbol
How Color Communicates Meaning
Color Symbolism

Tips for Creating Your Campaign Sticker:
1. Use the Drawing Program on Open Office
2. On Open Office Draw, Go to "Format," select "Page," and then change your document width to 9 inches and your document height to 3.5 inches.
3. Set your background color.
4. Add text and images.  (Images can be from clipart or can be located on Google images and pasted to your sticker from your clipboard.)

Welcome to the 2012-2013 School Year!

This blog is a home base for Senior English.  Visiting this page often can help you be successful.

Please bookmark this page on your laptop browser.

Reasons to visit this blog include:

• to complete class assignments
• for links for research and reading
• to get caught up in case you are behind or absent
• if you are confused and need more information
• if you want to challenge yourself and complete an honors assignment
• if you missed a class and want to make sure you are on the right track
• if you are interested in something we discussed in class and want to learn more

Links to the Future

newsoffuture.com Future News for Year 2020 and Beyond

futureforall.org/ A Layperson's View of Future Technology and Society

globalfuturist.com Harnessing the Power of Innovation

thefutureofourworld.ytmnd.com The Future of Our World

wfs.org World Future Society

A template and sample outline for the future essay is at:
http://wirthyenglish.blogspot.com/2011/06/sample-outline-for-future-essay.html

Resources for Freedom of Speech Issues

Issues & Controversies

Google News

ProQuest Newspapers via Marvel Teen Resources

--Search the above sources for articles on your topic and then skim the articles to find examples of loaded words used by those on both sides of the issue.

Additional Resources for Your Report:
--To create pie charts based on your survey data (and bump your grade up toward "exceeds"), see http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/graphing/classic/pie.asp 

--A sample Language & Power Paper (Sections 1, 2, 6) is here.

Euphemisms, Loaded Words, & Double-Speak

A euphemism is a word or phrase used in place of another word or phrase.  Often euphemisms are used in order to mislead, to confuse, or to neutralize the reaction of an audience.  

Loaded words are words used to engage the emotions of the reader or listener.  These are words that have strong connotations.  Some loaded words (especially the ones with positive connotations) are also euphemisms.

Double-Speak is the use of words or phrases such as "War is peace."  Double-speak is the use of words in an attempt to make something untrue, true.

Campaign Bumper Stickers -- Resources

Resources to Review as a Class:
Sample Stickers with Brief Critiques (slideshow)--Block White 1 reviewed this on Wednesday
The Basics of Fonts & Typography 

Additional Resources:
How Color Communicates Meaning
Color Symbolism

Tips for Creating Your Campaign Sticker:
1. Use the Drawing Program on Open Office
2. On Open Office Draw, Go to "Format," select "Page," and then change your document width to 9 inches and your document height to 3.5 inches.
3. Set your background color.
4. Add text and images.  (Images can be from clipart or can be located on Google images and pasted to your sticker from your clipboard.)

Avoiding Plagiarism

The Purdue OWL site provides a good overview on referencing sources and avoiding plagiarism.

Click here for that site.

A 5-Minute Poem to Kick Start Your Week

Use this site to create your own list poem based on your biography:

http://ettcweb.lr.k12.nj.us/forms/listpoem.htm

Notes:

• A list poem may appear random but it is not
• The poem should end with something surprising, insightful, or important.  One way to do this is to move from the literal to the figurative (see example poem below).
• Once you have made your initial list, consider re-arranging the order of the items.  Also consider adding more detail.  Use precise and concrete language as much as possible.  Provide your reader with a clear image of what you see.

Sample below:

________________________________________________

What’s in the canoe
a sharpened axe with a battered wooden handle
a weathered tent green with mold
a bag of pea flour
a plug of tobacco
three long poles with metal boots
four damp wool blankets
a refusal to turn back
a lot of heart 

--based on the book Great Heart:  History of a Labrador Adventure

Extending, Revising, Polishing Genre Pices

I've spent time reading over your draft genre pieces.  Here are some general suggestions that will help strengthen your pieces:

1. Develop your headings and titles.  A fully developed heading may be 2 - 3 sentences or more.  A title is generally short -- but make the most of it.  "Waris Dirie"  or "Waris Dirie -- One Determined Woman"   The 2nd title is stronger, yet it still doesn't "cost" that much.  Agree?
2. Among your 5 pieces, include at least 3 pieces about specific events or moments in your biography.  General pieces that give an overview of a person and that person's accomplishments can be useful, but don't stop there.
3. Aim for at least one piece from the point of view of a "contemporary" of your subject -- someone who knew your subject and had a relationship of some kind with him or her.  That person undoubtedly had an opinion on your subject and a way of voicing that opinion.

Resource of the Day: ProQuest

ProQuest provides access to news stories not found on Google.

Proquest is accessible via Wirthportal / the Student Research Center .  
Scroll down once you reach that page.

An additional benefit of ProQuest is that it provides ready-made source information for your bibliography,

Getting Started with Your Research

The goal is get started on researching topics related to the biography you are reading.  Don't worry about what the research will be used for.  Follow your interests.  Find some sources.  Save the source information so you can easily go back later.

1. Identify topics for research, using the handout

2. Set up a place to save and organize all your bookmarks.  This could be a folder with Safari or Firefox Bookmarks.  Or you may choose to set up an account on Delicious or Diigo.

3. Start identifying sites that are potential resources.  Don't just rely on Google.   See Wirthportal (also on the right sidebar link of this site) and check out Marvel, Internet Public Library, Google Search tools such as "Related Searches" and Time Defined Searchs, Google News, and Google Blogs.

4. Save your sites you find within your bookmarks folder (or on Delicious or Diigo).

Biography Project Resources

Sample Feature Article 1
Sample Feature Article 2

Sample Interview

Sample Character Sketch

How to Write a Haiku

Sample Annotated Bibliography

Easybib.com 

Plan to complete your biography and the reading sheet by March 8.

Hamlet Project

The steps of the project include:
1. Choose a partner.
2. Choose a theme.
3. Collect 5 quotes on your theme & save them to a word document.
4. Write a statement that explains and interprets each quote.  (The statement should explain in a general sense what the quote might add to our understanding of the theme; it should not be specific to the play and its characters).
5. Choose an image to go with each quote & statement.
6. Put quotes, statements, and images together in the form of a slideshow, prezi, poster, or other.
7. Present to the class.


The full text of Hamlet is here.  You can locate quotes with your theme by using the "Command F."

The rubric for the project is here.

"There is the story of the woman who read Hamlet for the first time and said, 

'I don’t see why people admire that play so. It is nothing but a bunch of quotations 

strung together.'”             –Issac Asimov, Asimov’s Guide to Shakespeare

Lists of Biographies

bi·og·ra·phy [bahy-og-ruh-fee, bee-] noun, plural -phies.
1. a written account of another person's life: the biography of Byron by Marchand.


25 Fascinating Biographies Every College Student Should Read (from Best Colleges Online)

Best Biographies (A list of 10 books from an Amazon.com contributor)


Top 10 Inspirational Biographies (An Amazon.com List)

Hamlet Journal

Click here for the Hamlet Act I Journal template.
Click here for the Hamlet, Act II Journal template.

Then copy and paste the template to your favorite word processing program.  Then save it as a document.

Hamlet on Facebook:
 If only Elsinore had Wifi:
Click here to view.

Hamlet Resources

 Resources:
Hamlet -- Full Text online

Enjoying "Hamlet" 
Shakespeare Resource Center
Hamlet: The Undiscovered Country